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Time to scatter on some local topics … and announce the new Fantastic Four

Jan 15th, 2009 by Hector Longo

Before we hit the hardwood I want to talk baseball, just for a minute.
First, there is the opening at Masconomet, one of the marquee Division 2 programs in EMass.
After only two seasons, Joe Marchesi is moving on. What a great program to inherit.
Talked to ex-coach Pete Delani and he says although he thoroughly enjoyed his successful tenure there, he’s not interested in returning.
The name that pops to mind, of course, is John Tudor, the ex-big leaguer turned Middleton Legion coach. He’s got twin boys in the school, but again, this is just me stating facts. I have no inside info on it yet.
It’s a great spot. Delani won and won big there, including a state title. He had a lucrative summer camp program installed, something Marchesi didn’t really embrace, and the feeder systems are strong.
As one coach from the region said to me, “Throw those unis on and you’re guaranteed 12 or 13 wins, at least, every year.”

All right, now on to hoops.
Yikes, what a weekend for the high school hoop junkie.
Talk about being up against. We’ll first attack the No. 12 (that’s in the nation, according to Maxpreps, folks … this corner just reports the numbers) Central Raiders.
First, on Friday night, Central has to travel to what once was Dick Licare’s least favorite road venue (ask any Raider from the 1983 team about the locker-punch/broken hand) Haverhill High School.
Remember, you Hillie alums, it’s Bobby Costello Night. A lot of old friends will be there celebrating the memory of the ex-Haverhill great. You can pay the $20 donation and support a great cause with the scholarship fund, see a great game and meet up with some familiar faces.
The Hillies, if anything, will wear you out by running and running and running.
If the Raiders can win, and even if they can’t, Central has to hit the hay, then be up bright and early for a two-hour bus ride and a 32-minute dance with one of the nation’s true power teams, American Heritage High of Plantation, Fla.
It’s Kenny Boynton and Co. at 1:30 p.m. at Springfield College.
If you love hoop, this might be the road trip you’re looking for.
The tourney runs all weekend into Monday with national powers like Oak Hill of Virginia, Mater Dei of California and St. Anthony’s of New Jersey among the participants.

Here’s a morsel of the Saturday slate. Talk about tripleheader nirvana:

1:30 PM Central Catholic High School vs. American Heritage School (FL)
3:00 PM Mount Vernon High School (NY) vs. Montverde Academy (FL)
4:30 PM Boys Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs. South Atlanta High School (GA)
You’re talking 13 Division 1 level SENIORS, not counting the underclassmen like Carson, in those three games along.
What an event!
I’m tempted to drive back on Monday, and Central isn’t even playing.
Go to their Web site: thehoophallclassic.com for the teams and talent and schedule. Wow.

Then, we’ll top it off Sunday with Eastern Mass. No. 2 Brockton coming to Andover for a 3 p.m. tip.
Yes, I’m not happy with coach Fazio not moving up the varsity tip to 1:30 p.m., so I could make it home for the 3:30 NFL playoffs. I’ll have to miss the first part of the Eagles and Cards.

To the folks on the MVC split, yeah, we reported that first (the sound you hear is me patting myself on the back) way back in the football season when we mocked EMass football and its bloated, phony wishy-washy paper “championship” system.
Not surprised at the way the split broke down.

To the Lowell caller ripping my league breakdown after one little win over Andover: Sorry big guy, it’s Central ………………. Andover ….. and everyone else in the MVC, even with that upset.

Here’s the latest Fantastic Four:
1. Central 8-0 … Murderous weekend awaits
2. Andover 6-3 … Battered a little bit, but it says here the Warriors knock off Brockton Sunday. GUARANTEED!!!!!
3. Haverhill 5-3 … Opportunity knocked and the Hillies have kicked the door in.
4. Lawrence 5-3 … Hanging tough while learning the ropes. Big one Friday night with Lowell coming to the Lancer fieldhouse.

Waiting their turn
Pinkerton (5-2) … Fellas, Hampton Beach High?????? You lost to Hampton Beach High. Trinity, a true Class L contender, walloped Winnacunnet 71-27. That’s not a misprint. And you let the boys from Ocean Boulevard surf into Hackler Gym and beat you. Sorry fellas. You’re out of my Fantastic Four and it’s going to take something special to be welcomed back. Hampton Beach High. I can’t believe it.

North Reading 8-1 and Georgetown 9-1 … To make the jump up, one of you has to cross over to the large and do some damage.

Pelham 6-3 … Quietly building into the team to beat in Class I

Posted in Baseball, Basketball, Hector Longo | View Comments

  • Fib1106

    Well put Hector. Pinkerton has size but ummm… they are soft.
    Haverhill keeps improving. Play them at your peril.
    Pelham is improving but they can’t match up physically with your Top Four.
    Lowell beat Andover but Andover was wiped out by flu, by all accounts. Andover played eight straight away but now plays at home a lot. They will be tough there.
    Nobody beats Central at Central. Ever. That puts them on the North semifinal automatically.

  • Dan Keleher

    Hector,
    you will not see me stick up for Pinkerton that often, but in this case I have to inform you that Winnacunnet was minus three starters when they played Trinity.

    DK

  • Hector Longo

    Dan,
    Thanks.
    But were the missing starters named Pierce, Allen and Garnett?
    71-27 ?????
    I know I’m a little tuf on the Stros, but I put my faith in them by putting them in my initial Fantastic Four. To have them turn around and drop a game at home?
    Plus I love drilling the Hampton Beach High references into the ground.
    I’m sure Winnacunnet is pretty good. Traditionally, boys hoop has been a rock-solid program there. Still, the ocean shots I can take at them give me a chuckle.
    Thanks for the info.
    Pinkerton, I apologize, but for now, you’re still on the outside looking in.

  • Hoop Fan

    H,

    The comment above about Pinkerton being soft is not the best way to describe them. They deserve to be out of your Fan. 4 for now. Their 2 biggest problems are they do not play aggressive defense and they settle for too many shots on offense. You would love to see a team with that many athletes get after it on d. but they don t. Would love to see them run and jump or at least trap or deny somewhere on the court. Offensively if they ever swung the ball once or twice they would get a lot easier shots. I have seen a few of their games and they basically let whoever they are playing dictate the tempo and play of the game. They can get away with it on alot of nights in Class L this year but will run into problems when it counts most at the end of the season.

  • Hoop Head

    Max Preps is a joke, Hector, especially this early in the season. You say you “just report the numbers” but isn’t the idea to try to make some sense of them not just repeat them? Particularly when they’re so obviously off. Central’s a great local team, clearly one of the top couple in MA, but in a state like NJ, FL, TX, or CA, they’d be no where near the top. #12 in the nation?!??!? Please. They have one Division I player, another very good high school player (who will tear up Division III if some D2′s don’t wise up), and then some really hard working kids. I agree with your repeated statements that you don’t favor Central, but you also say that you cal it the way you see it (and don’t just repeat what you’re fed). Don’t feed into this area’s already misguided notion of where our level of high school hoops stacks up. If Haverhill HS was beating the #12 team in the country tonight at halftime, then Mike Trovato should be enshrined in the Hall of Fame tomorrow down the road from where Central’s playing.

  • http://mj9138email.com Leo

    If Central is #12 in the country, then the Hillies are #23…and Andover is #16! CC vs. HHS was the closest 18 point game I ever saw.

    The Hillies brought it Friday night w, I think, 13 3′s–maybe 11 in the first half. Carson’s offensive break-out game? 34 points –average distance 4.2 feet.

    Loved Ricky’s 2nd half defense–HHS got off maybe 5 or 6 3′s–most of them prayers. Did I catch Ricky resting Puello, Zenovitch, Fernandez and Timmy for American Heritage…maybe just a little? 6′ 2 ‘U Florida bound Kenny Boynton–#1 2 guard in the country is averaging 34 ppg for AH–are you ready Timmy? AH is 14-4–they held one team to 19 points. PG Taylor going to Florida Atlantic–two 6’8″ bruise brothers–uh…I don’t know about this one.

    For us out-of-towners, maybe you could tell us a little bit about Bobby Costello, Hector and where to send a check. I’m always impressed w the annual tradition of giving scholarships in his name. His children are very young so he must have died a young man. Anyway, in a day when tradition is ignored, it’s great to see the Haverhill folks keep this alive. It’s a very powerful thing when kids feel like they’re part of something much bigger than them. I sat next to a great guy and former teammate of Bobby who came back from Columbia, SC (!) for the game. Sorry, if you said his name, i’d remember it–he said he was the state 100 yd dash champ twice in Bobby’s era in addition to playing hoops–there’s a good trivia question for old Hillies!

    Trovato’s got them playing very, very well–they’re going to be tough in February.

    I agree with you H-boy— Andover shows Brocton what Big East BB (MVC version) is all about.

    Inject Ricky w truth serum and ask him who would he like to play least in March–my bet?–Fazio’s Warriors.

    You just can’t beat high school hoops here in Siberia!!

    Thanks for your enthusiasm, Hector.

  • Fib1106

    I run hot and cold on Central but I won’t knock them for playing iron. No they do not have five Division 1 players starting but don’t go overboard overrating other teams either. There is only one ball to go around.
    Lawrence is not a bad team but they might finish last in MVC Large.
    Unreal.
    Things have changed and the fact is that the MVC Large is the best hoop league in the state at the moment. Better than the Catholic or Middlesex or Greater Boston.

  • Dan

    I have to say Central showed some fight coming back to AH today -only 16 hours after beating Haverhill by 18 in a hard fought game. It would have been easy for them to give up early in this one- but they played hard to the end and made it very respectfull. Clearly the max preps ranking might be a little high (even for this red & blue blooded alum) but it is still great to be mentioned-it means people are taking notice. My hat goes off to Ricky Nault, he has done a great job in his short tenure at CCHS (to say the least). Glad to see the program is in such good hands.

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